JPH03283078A - Handy type data storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily read a desired data by providing a means selectively reading any of plural data groups stored in a storage means through the changeover of a switching means. CONSTITUTION:The medium is incorporated with storage means 21 - 26 storing plural predetermined data groups and provided with a switching means 13 selected by an external operation. Moreover, a means 11 reading selectively any of the plural data groups stored in the storage means 21 - 26 by the changeover of the switching means 13 is provided, The switching means 13 is selected in this way to read any data group without requiring a command or the like from a host device. Moreover, when a print sample is visibly displayed in relation to the switching means 13, a data group for print sample is selected by having only to point out the switching means 13 to the print sample. Thus, a desired data is easily read.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a handy data storage medium in the form of a card or a package, and in particular, it relates to a handy data storage medium such as a card or a package. The present invention relates to a handheld storage medium.

<Prior Art> There are printers that are connected to a host device such as a computer or word processor and generate characters in response to a character generation command from the host device.

Since this type of printer must generate characters of various types and sizes in response to commands, it usually has a built-in storage device that stores multiple types of fonts.

Furthermore, recently, printers have been proposed that can be equipped with font cartridges or font cards (IC cards) that store a plurality of types of fonts.

In the case of a printer in which a conventional font cartridge or the like can be installed, the selection of the font stored in the installed font cartridge or the like is performed by a command from the host device or by operating the printer operation unit. It was one of two things.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> When selecting a font stored in a font cartridge etc. by a command from a host device,
For example, taking the HP La5er Jet series ■ (product name) as an example, the host device can input information such as orientation, symbol set, spacing, pitch, character height, style (upright, etc.), stroke weight (bold, etc.), and type. A desired font cannot be selected unless eight parameters called face are accurately provided. Therefore, it is troublesome for the user to accurately input the above-mentioned eight parameters, and a disadvantage is that the user who is not familiar with the operation cannot select the desired font.

Furthermore, when a desired font is selected by operating the printer operation section, the selection operation is complicated and cumbersome, and the selection process takes time. Furthermore, since many parameters must be specified during the selection operation, there is a drawback in that the printer operation section must be provided with a display area and a display storage area for displaying these parameters.

Furthermore, as a matter of course, in printers that do not have the above-mentioned operation section, fonts can only be selected by commands from the host device.

Therefore, the present invention provides a handy data storage medium that can easily display desired data one after another in a font cartridge, font card, or other type of data storage medium that is removable from a printer or the like. The purpose is to provide a type data storage medium.

Means for Solving the Problem> The first invention is a handy data storage medium in the form of a card or package, which has a built-in storage means in which a plurality of predetermined data groups are stored, and which can be operated from the outside. The apparatus is characterized in that it is provided with a switching means capable of switching the data, and further provided with means for selectively reading out any one of the plurality of data groups stored in the storage means by switching the switching means. It is a handy data storage medium.

Further, in the above-mentioned handy type data storage medium, a printed sample is visibly displayed on the outside of the storage medium in relation to the switching means, and by switching the switching means to match the printed sample, This method is characterized in that the data group represented in the print sample can be selected one after another.

Furthermore, a second invention is a handy data storage medium in the form of a card or a package, which includes a built-in storage means storing a plurality of predetermined data groups, and a switching means that can be switched by external operation. further comprising selected data type output means for selecting one of the plurality of data groups stored in the storage means by switching the switching means and outputting a signal specifying the data group. It is a handy data storage medium characterized by:

Effect> According to the first invention, by switching the switching means provided in the handy data storage medium,
Any data group can be read without requiring a command from the host device.

If a print sample is visibly displayed in relation to the switching means, the data group of the print sample is selected simply by aligning the switching means with the print sample.

Furthermore, according to the second invention, since which data group among the plurality of data groups is made readable by switching the switching means is output, data groups other than the data group made readable are As in the past, the selection can be made by a command from the host device or the like.

<Embodiments> Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external plan view of a font cartridge as an example of a handy data storage medium.

The font cartridge 10 is equipped with a slide switch operating section 11 that can be operated from the outside.

The slide switch operation part 11 can move up and down in the figure along the guide slit 12, and stops at one of six stopping positions. By changing the stopping position, one of the six types of fonts (print samples) listed on the right side of the guide slit 12 can be specified. In the figure, r TM, 9 RMN j
t J / j c" is selected.

In this way, if a font sample is visibly displayed on the outer surface of the font cartridge 10 in accordance with the stop position of the slide switch operating section 11, the slide switch operating section 11 is stopped to match the font sample. By simply selecting the font, you can be sure to select the font shown in the font sample. Therefore, even a user who is not familiar with the operation can select a desired font from among the fonts displayed in the font sample without fail.

In addition, the operation for selection is performed using the slide switch operation section 1.
The operation is easy because it is only necessary to move 1.

In this embodiment, a font sample is displayed on the surface of the font cartridge 10, but the type of font may be displayed instead of the font sample.

Further, in this embodiment, a slide switch is used as the switching means, but other switches such as a bush/pull switch or a dip switch may be used.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal circuit configuration of the font cartridge 10. In FIG. 2, data buses, address buses, etc. are omitted.

The font cartridge 10 includes n font ROMs 21 and 22 (n is a plurality of fonts, n-6 in this embodiment).
, 23. ..., 26 are provided. Each font R
Different types of font data are stored in the OMs 21 to 26, respectively.

Each of the font ROMs 21 to 26 has one end grounded via a slide switch 13.

The slide switch 13 has font ROMs 21 to 26.
Contact points 111, 112°113, . . .
, 116 are provided, and by selecting the stop position of the slide switch operation section 11 described above, any one of the six contacts can be selectively closed. In the figure, the contact 112 corresponding to the font ROM 22 is closed, and the font ROM 2
2 is grounded so that the font data stored therein can be read out one after another.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal circuit configuration of a font cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention. The circuit shown in FIG. 3 has a structure in which a slide switch circuit 32 is independently added to the internal circuit 31 of the conventional font cartridge.

The slide switch circuit 32 includes a slide switch 13.
and a latch circuit 33 for detecting which contact of the slide switch 13 is connected. The latch circuit 33 is connected to the data bus of the cPU.

With this configuration, the latched state of the latch circuit 33 is read by the host CPU, and the first priority font ROM selected by the slide switch 13 in the font cartridge 10 is directly detected. Therefore, the host CPU only needs to read data from the font ROM with the first priority.

Also, if this circuit is adopted, the first priority font RO
Font ROMs other than M can be selected by commands from the host CPU as before.

In this embodiment, the data stored in the handy data storage medium has been described as font data, but the stored data may be other data. For example, the present invention can be applied to a program cartridge in which a plurality of program data are stored.

<Effects of the Invention> Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to easily retrieve desired data from among a plurality of data stored in a handy data storage medium without operating a host device or the like. It is possible to provide a handheld data storage medium that can be easily and accurately handled even by a user who is not familiar with computers or a beginner.

Also, from the standpoint of building software for selecting data, the number of display routines for displaying the type of data during operation will be significantly reduced, so the memory area that was previously required for this will be reduced. be able to.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an external plan view of a font cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal circuit configuration of a font cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal circuit configuration of a font cartridge according to another embodiment of the invention. In the figure, 10... font cartridge, 11...
...Slide switch) operation section, 12...Guide slit, 13...Slide switch, 21, 22.2B. . . , 26 indicates a font ROM.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A handy data storage medium in the form of a card or package, which includes a built-in storage means in which a plurality of predetermined data groups are stored, and a switching means that can be switched by external operation. What is claimed is: 1. A handy data storage medium, further comprising means for selectively reading out any one of a plurality of data groups stored in the storage means by switching the switching means. 2. The handy data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein a printed sample is visibly displayed on the outside of the storage medium in relation to the switching means, and the switching means is adapted to match the printed sample. By switching to the print sample, the data group represented in the print sample is readably selected. 3. A handy data storage medium in the form of a card or package, which has a built-in storage means for storing a plurality of predetermined data groups, is provided with a switching means that can be operated from the outside, and is further equipped with a switching means. A selected data type output means for selecting one of a plurality of data groups stored in the storage means by switching the means and outputting a signal specifying the data group; data storage medium.